The Adventures of Rock Light
by Alphacat
Summary: What happens when a war you've fought all your life is suddenly over? What happens when you suddenly find yourself free to follow your own destiny? One robot is about to find out.
1. Prologue

This is my first submission so I hope you all like it.

Disclaimer. I don't own Mega/Rockman, etc, etc.

Notes: This story is set in the intervening period between MM8 and MMX.

Thanks to all those who have given positive feedback.

* * *

The Adventures of Rock Light: Prologue 

_"... We have received no more news from the coroners working on the case, but we do have visual confirmation that the nefarious Dr. Wily is..."_

"Computer. New station."

_"... Experts are still speculating as to the cause of death, but one thing is certain..."_

"Next station."

_"... are over! The Wily Wars are over! You heard it here first, on Station K..."_

"Kill the radio feed."

The computer console beeped twice quietly to acknowledge the command. The figure at the desk sighed, shaking his head. He looked around the office, his eyes pausing at the framed picture of the late Dr Light on the opposite wall. He smiled a little. That picture had always been one of his favorites. He sighed and turned his focus back to the datapad on the desk. He let his fingers fly over the keys, moving of their own accord.

_The news mongers are already jumping on the story like vultures... I saw it coming, but I still don't like it. It seems odd... The world will be rejoicing at Wily's death, but they mourned for Dr Light. They were both great men, who, in their own times, did good things for humanity. Dr Light would want people to have remembered the great things he did... Not that he'd ever consider them great himself, of course. He was content to merely invent... Wily, too, had his own vision for the world. Ironically, his aggression achieved it far better than he ever could have done otherwise._

The figure stopped, drumming fingers against the wooden desktop. An archaic touch, true. But it made the room feel homier. Light always liked it that way. He traced a finger along the grain, then started typing at the datapad again.

_He tried to repent, in the end. I still don't know why he did it. Maybe his conscious suddenly kicked in? Maybe he realized that he had finally achieved his goals, and wanted to set things right. Perhaps, it was the last desperate act of a sinner. We'll never know, now. His motivation in death, as in life, will now forever remain a mystery. All we can do now is rebuild. Tie up the loose ends and finally put this ordeal behind us. And move forward. But to what? Things will change, of course. The world is always changing. But things seem less sure, now._

The young boy paused again, running his fingers through his messy jet-black hair. He picked up the data pad and leaned back in the chair, placing it in his lap.

_I don't know what the future will bring anymore. It's kind of liberating, really. But scary, in a way. And for someone like me, that's really saying something. A whole world of possibilities awaits, and finally I can explore them all. Dad would be happy for me, I know._

A knock sounded at the door. The lone boy lifted his head. "Enter!"

A young, blond-headed girl with her hair tied back in a ponytail poked her head into the office. "Rock, there's a vidcall for you. They're holding in the main lab. Want me to patch it through here?"

Rock nodded, pressing SAVE on his datapad and standing up. "Thanks, Roll. I'll take it in there, though."

She nodded, "Okay. I'll tell them you'll be out in a minute, then." She vanished, leaving the door ajar behind her.

Rock ran a hand over the antique desk, sighing softly. "I wish you were still here, father... You'd know what to do. I miss you." He opened the top drawer in the desk, depositing his datapad inside and using the antique key to lock it again. Pausing at the door, he looked around the office one last time before shutting the lights off and closing the door behind him.

Striding out to the control room, he pulled back on the sleeve of his shirt, tapping a short command sequence into the wristband he wore. His endothermic sensors registered the warmth of the teleport sequence surrounding his body, removing his clothing and replacing it with the familiar blue bodysuit and armor. He turned to face the monitor squarely, standing at attention and simply announcing, "General." The vidscreen came alive instantly, the status holding screen replaced by the rigid face of a Global Nation Army Officer.

He nodded, taping at a datapad off screen. "You've no doubt heard the netcast by now, I presume."

Rock nodded, stiffly. "Of course sir."

The general entered something into his datapad. "Do you have your report ready?"

Rock shook his head. "No sir. It will be a few days yet."

The officer frowned. "A few days? It should be a simple matter to read the contents of a single disk."

Rock nodded again. "It is. However, I am exercising extreme caution while handling this disk. We still don't know what Wily's true intentions were, and I refuse to give any programs resident on that disk access to a computer connected to a high-level security clearance terminal such as the ones at the lab. I've special ordered the necessary equipment, but it will take a few days to prepare and ship, even at their highest priority."

The human frowned, entering more information into his terminal. "Acceptable, then. Give me a full report as soon as possible."

Rock saluted the general. "Yes sir. Talk to you in a few more days." The general killed the connection from his terminal, leaving a 'disconnected' screen in place of his video stream. Rock rolled his eyes and removed his helmet, tossing it onto a desk chair. "Geeze. I hate the formal military types."

Roll giggled from behind her console. "At least it keeps them off our backs, though."

Rock shook his head. "Maybe, but only a little. They still just think of us as robots, sis. We'll never command the same respect that dad did."

"Just give it time, Rock. They just don't understand, that's all."

Rock leaned on the console Roll was stationed at, looking at her terminal upside-down. "Yeah, I guess... Dad never really told them what he did with us, after all."

Roll tapped a button, inverting the display to reveal a data compilation regarding robot sightings. "I've already tracked down most of them, so I should be able to get a fix with the satellite to keep an eye on their whereabouts soon."

Rock nods. "Great, Roll. This will really help a lot."

"It looks like they're mostly staying hidden... There have been only a few raids for power supplies and the like."

"Hmm... Good. Hopefully the fighting will stay away from the public, then." Rock stepped back, flipping open a panel on his Mega Buster and entering another control sequence. His body glowed with a white light as the teleport sequence replaced the armor with jeans and a shirt.

"Computer! Please dial Rick for me. Personal line."

The dialing screen was quickly replaced with a view of the top of a head full of messy red hair. Rock grinned. "Hey Rick. Did I catch you at a bad time?"

Rick looked up, startled. "Wha? Oh! Hi Rock. I didn't notice the vidline come on. What's up?"

"Well, I sent an order through your company line, and I was just wondering if there was any way you could put a rush on it. It's urgent, but I can't say why, if you catch my drift."

Rick leaned over to a console at his left, tapping a few commands into it. "Let's see what we've got in the queue. Couple regular orders... Some priority shipments. Hmm... Here we go. Got a huge corporate order we're having issues with. I'll bump you in front of them."

Rock smiled. "Thanks. I really appreciate it."

Rick continued tapping at his console. "Let's see... Got your file up... Wow, that's a piece of work. No external hookups, no wireless... Self-sustaining power source. I know I shouldn't pry... But are you dealing with some kind of virus?"

"Rick, you know I can't talk about official business... But it's a good guess."

Rick grinned, pushing a few buttons. "Ahhh, gotcha. Well, you're all set. Everything should be ready tomorrow, and shipped the day after."

Rock nodded. "Thanks again."

"Hey, no problem man. If there's anything you ever need, just ask. Dr Light did a lot for us starting up, so..."

Rock held up a hand to stop his friend. "You've done more than enough, really."

"Yeah, I guess you're right" Rick glanced over at another console. "Oops. It seems I've got a conference call coming in. Probably about the coloring of their shift keys or something. I gotta go. Talk to you later, huh?"

"Sure thing. Computer, end call." The display was replaced by a status screen showing a news ticker.

Roll spoke up from her console. "I updated the schedule, Rock. We should be able to have that report done in three days, maybe four."

Rock nodded, dropping into a chair and picking up his helmet, tracing a finger along its features. "You know... I've been doing this almost ever since I was born..." He shook his head slowly. "It's hard to believe this war might finally be over."

Roll leaned over her console to watch her brother. "Yeah... But it'll be good to finally be able to relax. You know dad never wanted this life for us."

"Yeah, I know. But still, I can't help but worry." He turned the helmet over in his hands.

The girl frowned, "Worried? Why should you be worried?"

Rock lifted his gaze to meet his sister's. "Because, after this... I don't know what to do anymore. This is all I know."

Roll smiled at her brother. "Don't worry, we'll have all the time in the world to figure it out when we're done."

"Yeah, I guess you're right. I'm going to go hit the combat sim for a little bit, kay?" He rose, tucking his helmet under his arm.

Roll nodded. "Sure thing, Rock. I'll use the intercom if anything comes up."


	2. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: I don't own Mega/Rockman, etc, etc. 

Notes: This story is set in the intervening period between MM8 and MMX.

* * *

The Adventures of Rock Light: Chapter 1 

_Time: One Day Earlier_

"King's Knight to C-2. Check."

Rock and Roll sat facing each other, a projected hologram depicting a chessboard between them. Rock peered closely at the board. "Clever. Queen to D-7. Take that."

Roll smiled, tapping a command into her keyboard. The virtual rook glided smoothly across the board, ramming into the opposing Queen and reducing it to a pile of dust. "Rook captures at D-7. Checkmate."

Rock blinked, frowning. "Oh, damn. I completely forgot your bishop was sitting there."

Roll giggled, typing the reset commands into her console. "Care to try again? Or are you ready to give up today?"

"Ah, you just got lucky. I'll get you next time."

"Lucky like the last three times we just played?"

Rock rolled his eyes, scowling. "I'll get you yet. You'll see."

His sister smiled, waving a hand over the freshly set board. "Make your move, then. You can take White this time."

"Alright then." The boy reached for his keyboard. "King's pawn to E-3."

The ambient music was suddenly replaced by a scratchy voice announcing, _"Citizens of Earth!"_ A raw cough was followed by a few moments of silence before it announced again.

Rock turned to the speaker in alarm, "Computer! Full radio volume!"

_"This is Dr Wily. I have... I have planted several nuclear warheads in the population centers of the world."_ He coughed dryly a few more times. _"I will detonate them, unless you meet my demands. I want Rock. At my coordinates, unarmed."_

Roll shook her head. "He's finally lost it..."

Rock frowned. "No. Something's wrong. This isn't his style."

_"Do not attempt to find the warheads. Do not attempt to assist Rock in any way. He must arrive, unarmed, and by himself. Comply in 24 hours, or I will start killing the populace. Consider this your only warning."_

The radio went dead for several seconds, but the silence was quickly replaced by an emergency newscast. _"We would like to advise all citizens not to panic at this time. We have no details yet as to this latest ploy by Wily, but will be sure to keep you all..."_

Rock stood up, "Computer, mute volume." He recalled his battle suit, waiting a moment for the sequence to finish before running to the main lab, his sister already ahead of him. "Hurry and track down that signal. I'll contact the general." He started punching commands into the vidscreen console.

Roll looked up from her command station, "I already have a lock. Wily's making this very easy for you."

Rock turned away from the dialing vidscreen after entering the final clearance codes. "What?"

"He's left a beacon running. It's the same signal that generated the netcast."

"He wants me to do this..." Rock frowned in thought, "But why?"

A voice barked behind him, "It's obviously a trap." Rock turned to see the face of the GN General. "Wily means to disable you, and then detonate the warheads anyway while we're helpless."

Rock shook his head. "No, that doesn't make sense. It's not his usual methodology."

The General glowered at him. "Regardless, you are not to go in. We will find and deactivate these warheads, and then we will deal with this lunatic."

Rock met the General's gaze. "No, sir. I'm going in. It's the only way to protect the populace." He cut the officer off before he could protest, "And I'll stop anyone I see trying to disobey his instructions. Computer, kill call." The view of the General's angry face was quickly replaced by an idle screen. "Computer, block incoming calls." The console beeped twice to acknowledge the command.

He turned back to his sister. "Give me the coordinates."

Roll kept typing at her console. "I've already setup the teleportation sequence. It's ready to activate on your mark."

Rock nodded, "Good. Computer, act—"

"Rock!"

"Yes Roll?"

She looked at him with worried eyes. "Please come home safe."

He gave her a half-smile. "I always do. Computer, activate teleport." He vanished in a beam of blue light.

He materialized in the middle of a forest. Surveying his surroundings, he could not make out any unnatural structures. _He's got to be close by... Most likely underground._ Activating his combat systems, his radar and tracking systems pinpointed the direction of the beacon signal easily. He took off running, heightened senses allowing him to easily maneuver around the thick trees, leaving a trail of kicked up dust and flying twigs in his wake. The signal steadily grew stronger as he approached a cave opening. Pausing only a moment to scan the cave system, he descended into its depths, activating his night vision systems.

Inside the caves he proceeded slowly, continually mapping more of the system and compiling all of the data into a comprehensive topographical map. Finally he found what he was looking for, man-made formations. He navigated towards the structure, finally stepping into a steel hallway. He scanned the hallway, frowning as he detected no traps of any kind. _Here goes nothing..._ He issued the recall command to his armor, shutting down his combat abilities as he was redressed in his street clothing.

He walked forward cautiously, stepping carefully among ruined scraps of metal. Large plates of steel were dislodged from the walls and ceiling, revealing dead wiring and circuitry, with only the occasional spark of electricity to indicate they functioned at all. "What happened here? It's like somebody got here before I did..." Turning a corner, he stopped dead at the sight that awaited him.

A robot master stood at attention, staring right at him. Rock dove behind the corner for cover, crawling under a large sheet of metal leaning against the wall. There he waited, peering out carefully. Several minutes passed, and Rock heard no alarms, nor the heavy footprints of metal against metal. No shots were fired, but still he waited for another full minute before daring to venture out from his shelter. He edged along the wall, peering cautiously around the corner this time to look at the robot master.

It stood in the same position, staring just as it had before. Rock could hardly believe it, but it had not moved in the four minutes since he had seen it initially. Now, though, he began to realize why. The robot master's left arm was completely missing. The right fared no better, severed through the elbow. Its eyes were lifeless and empty. Rock slowly turned the corner and approached it, examining the robot.

The left arm socket had been brutally ripped out, wires dangling and a disjointed gyro protruding outwards. The right arm, however, had been burned completely through. Rock frowned. _It takes a powerful energy buster to burn cleanly through steel like this... And there's only a very few robots I know of that have weapons this powerful. But why would they do this...?_ "It doesn't make sense."

He shook his head and advanced further into the hallway, his footsteps echoing through the ruined corridors. More lifeless robot masters greeted him, all in various stages of wreckage and combat wear. Shrapnel and metal slag littered the hallways, crunching beneath his feet. He shook his head and kept his gaze down, watching his footing and trying to block the robot masters from his mind.

Finally, he came to the only locked doorway in the entire complex. Looking it over, his eyes came upon the broken control panel beside it. He lifted a hand and pressed the 'Ring' button, emitting an electronic chime. Moments passed, before the door slid aside, granting him access. He slowly stepped forward into the darkened room, lit only by the hallway before him, and a giant monitor in front, silhouetting a command chair. The monitor itself presented a giant image of Rock via camera.

The voice was thin and raspy. "So... You came."

Rock nodded calmly. "You wanted me. You got me. Just don't hurt those people."

Wily laughed hoarsely, disintegrating into a hacking cough. "There are no bombs. The world is safe."

Rock started forward a step. "Then this was a trap?"

The chair turned slowly around, revealing the mad scientist. His clothes were disheveled. He had lost most of his hair, but what was left was deathly white. His eyes seemed sunken in, his entire body emaciated. His left hand clutched something in his lap. "Yes, it was a trap. But it is my trap."

Rock gasped, running forward to the doctor. "Wily! What's happened to you? We need to get you medical attention."

The old scientist waved a hand dismissively. "No, no. It's entirely too late for that. Nobody would treat me anyway."

"You'll get treatment. I'll make sure of it."

"I won't last that long." Wily looked into Rock's eyes, and he was surprised to see genuine grief in the old man's face. "I'm dying. Even now as we talk..." He started coughing violently again, turning his face away.

Rock shook his head. "No, I won't believe it."

"Shut up, boy. And listen!" Wily held a trembling hand out, clutching a single data disk. "Take it."

Rock reached out slowly to grab it. "What is it?"

Wily barked, "Take it!" He waited for the robot to take the disk from his hand. "This disk contains a program... Find the six, and tell them... Tell them I'm sorry. And deactivate the others."

"A program?" Rock knelt to talk eye to eye with the doctor. "What does it do?"

Wily closed his eyes, breathing shallowly. "The program contains..." He lay still.

He gently shook the old man. "Wily, stay with me. What does the program on this disk do?"

"Disk contains... removes the virus... Restore them completely." His breathing sped up, his entire body shaking.

Rock's eyes grew wide. "Even Blues and Forte? Will it work for them?"

Wily gave a weak nod. "Yes, but..." He gasped, struggling for breath, and then his body went limp.

Rock hung his head and slowly stood up. "Good bye, Albert Wily. I'll make sure that your penance is carried out." He reached out to gently close the doctor's eyelids. "I hope your soul finds rest in the afterlife." He turned with heavy footsteps, and began the long trek home.

* * *

Rock beamed back into the lab, clutching the disk in his hand. 

Roll looked up from her console. "Rock! You're safe! I was so worried..."

He stared at his sister silently, his expression somber.

Roll blinked, frowning slightly. "Rock? Are you all right?"

"No." He dropped into a chair, staring at the disk in his hand. "Wily is dead."

"Oh no," gasped Roll, drawing her hand to her mouth. "I know how you had hoped he would..."

Rock held the disk up, turning it to examine it in the light. "He did, I think... Finally, in the end, he did."

"What's that disk?"

"He gave it to me just before he died. He said that it could fix our six brothers..."

Roll stared at the disk in wonder. "Are you sure?"

Rock shook his head. "No, I'm not. I'll have to check the disk out first. Just in case." He smiled up at Roll. "But I think he meant it. I could see it in his eyes."

She returned the smile, "After all these years... We'll be able to put this war behind us for good."

"Yeah..." Rock shook his head and sighed. "We still have to settle things with the army first. They're not going to let this go easy."

"Yeah, speaking of which..." Roll tapped at her console. "They're expecting your report."

Rock stood and tapped at his command watch, recalling his battle uniform. "Computer, put me through to General LaStran, Priority One." He entered the security clearance codes into the console and stepped back, snapping to attention.

The face of the GN officer appeared moments later. "Do you have your report for me?"

Rock nodded. "Affirmative. There is no threat to the populace; it was a bluff designed to draw me out. When I arrived, however, I was able to disable his traps and proceed to Dr Wily's command center. There I found him, but he was dying. He died while I was there, but I recovered a disk from his computer systems. My recommendation is to send a coroner with armed guard, and then to scrap the base."

The General nodded, entering notes into his datapad. "Good. I'll expect a full report shortly, of course, along with the contents of that disk. I'll notify the coroner, and autopsy will commence in a few hours. Is there anything else?"

Rock nodded, "Yes Sir. After autopsy is complete, I would like to request that Wily be given full burial."

LaStran raised an eyebrow, staring at Rock. "And why would I grant such a request?"

"It's what Dr Light would have wanted, Sir. I'm sure of it. I'll make all the arrangements and cover all costs involved. I only ask that I be allowed to retrieve his body when it is of no further use to your investigation."

The officer glared at Rock for several long moments, but slowly nodded once. "Very well then. I will turn over control of his body after we have finished our investigative efforts."

"I'd also recommend stalling a press release about this incident until the autopsy is completed. We can't be sure this isn't a ruse yet."

"Agreed. Keep me informed about the disk. LaStran out."

Rock pulled off his helmet. "Well, that went easier than I'd hoped."

Roll nodded. "I know. Do you want to start analyzing that disk now?"

"Not just yet." Rock walked over to his sister's console, tapping a few commands in.

Roll pushed her chair to one side, allowing Rock to pull up his own chair. "What are you doing?"

Rock pulled up a chair behind him and continued typing. "Making a special order from Incorporated Systems... We need a completely isolated platform to test that disk with. There's no telling what else it might contain."

Roll nodded. "Rick won't be there today... But I bet we can call him tomorrow and have him push the order ahead."

"You know I don't like doing that." Rock finished entering his specifications and started reviewing the order. "But, in this case I'd say it's urgent enough."

"Completely isolated, huh?" commented Roll, reading over his shoulder.

"Mmmhmmm. No chance of infection or spreading that way. That should do it." Rock tapped the send key and stood up. "I'll be in the combat sim. I'll have to be at peak if we have to take them down without destroying them."

"All right Rock." Roll slid her chair back into place. "I'll let you know when the General calls back with the coroner's report."

* * *

Rock stepped into the old office, looking around. Even now this old place reassured him. The only touch of antiquity in the entire lab, everything in the room came from the last century, or looked like it. He walked over behind the desk and sat down carefully, reaching into a drawer to retrieve his personal datapad. It came to life at the touch of a button, flashing cursor ready for input. 

_This day... I can't believe it. I'm still a little stunned, to be honest. Not only has my most powerful nemesis died, he's given me the key to undoing the damage he's done. It seems too good to be true, but... I could see the grief in his eyes. I just know he was being sincere. Still, I know I have to handle things carefully. Dad taught me never to rush into things, no matter what the gain._

_The chance to not only cure our six brothers, but to cure Blues and Forte, too... I've waited for this day, but I never thought it'd actually come. Wily's virus has controlled them all for so long... Despite all of our best attempts to analyze and decode it, his programming has remained beyond our grasp. But now all we have to do is find them, and they'll be free to live like Dad always wanted them to._

_Finding them will be tough, though. Blues has always been something of a rogue, staying hidden until we need him. The rest of them, though, probably went into hiding the last time I foiled Wily's schemes. I saw many of the robot masters disabled at Wily's hideout today, but it looked like none of the first six were there, so they're probably out in the world somewhere. Forte's probably back in hiding now, too. I'll get Roll to start checking any leads we might have on them. Normally we hear plenty when they're causing trouble, but finding them when they're not will be trickier. Still, there must be some signs of them somewhere...  
_

_They won't give up without a fight, I'm sure. The virus still has a hold of them, and won't let them give up without a fight. It'll be tough, but I have to bring them down without taking them out of commission. We can repair any damage to them, of course, but the less the better. Speaking of which, I'd better go make sure I'm ready for the upcoming fights and hit the sims._

Rock tapped the SAVE button and put the pad away, giving the room one last look before standing up and leaving.

* * *

_Time: Several Hours Later_

Rock stood stiffly at attention, listening to the General berate him at length.

"Tell me one good reason I shouldn't have you sent to the scrap heap, you miserable heap of junk!"

Rock stood there silently, not offering a word.

LaStran held up a sheaf of papers, shoving them at the vidscreen. "Do you know what this damn report says here?"

"No, Sir."

Slamming the report on hid desk, he glared at the robot. "Then let me summarize. Wily did not die a natural death. Far from it. He was poisoned. And I think we both know who did it."

Rock kept a calm face. "I'm afraid I don't know your meaning, Sir."

"You bloody robots think you're above the law, just because you have a special working arrangement with us. Why, I oughta—"

"Sir," interrupted Rock.

"--slag you right-- Did I give you permission to speak?"

"Sir," repeated Rock. "Ask me if I killed or poisoned Dr Wily."

"What are you on about! Insubordinate bucket of bolts! I'll come down there and dismantle you myself!"

"You know I am incapable of lying to a direct question asked by a superior. So ask me."

The general's face was red now, face twisted into an angry snarl. "Why you... Fine then, soldier. Did you directly kill, or poison Dr Wily in any way?"

"No, Sir, I did not."

"Are you at all responsible for his death?"

"No, Sir. I am not."

LaStran glared at Rock for several long moments. "Very well then... We will presume your innocence for now. I will assign men to tracking down his killer. That is all. LaStran out."

Rock stared at the view screen as it cut off, and then relaxed, flipping open his buster to recall his clothing. "Whew... He almost lost it that time. What a short temper."

"It's not his temper I'm worried about, Rock. Who could have poisoned Wily like that?"

"Blues or Forte, I guess." Rock shrugged. "Probably Forte. He's always been unstable, you know."

"How could you even accuse Blues of such a thing?" Roll glared at her brother. "He'd never... Even considering."

"Easy, Roll," Rock held his hands up. "I'm not saying he did it. Look. When I got there, the place had already been trashed."

"So? That doesn't prove a thing!"

"Well, no. But what about clean plasma burns through steel?"

"But the only weapons powerful enough of doing that are..." Roll gasped, looking down at the ground. "Oh."

Rock nodded. "Exactly. But like I said, it was probably Forte. He hasn't been stable in a long time... Hopefully, I can find something on the disk to help fix him, too."

"Oh, I hope so, Rock. And we can fix Blues too, right?"

Rock smiled. "Yeap. Wily said there was information on this disk for both of them."

"It'll be so nice to finally be a family again, all of us."

Rock placed a hang on Roll's shoulder and squeezed gently. "Don't worry. Just give it time. C'mon, let's go shutdown for the night."

Roll stood up and hugged her brother tightly. "Okay, Rock. I'll see you in the morning."


	3. Chapter 2

Disclaimer: I don't own Mega/Rockman, etc etc.

* * *

The Adventures of Rock Light – Chapter 2 

"Another call?" Rock growled. "The vidphone's been going nonstop since Wily's death was announced. Roll, can you do me a favor and set up the auto-reply? I've got to get ready for the press conference."

Roll nodded. "Sure thing, Rock. I don't know why they can't wait for the press conference anyway. They'll have all the information they need there, and more." She walked into the front room, blocking any further calls.

Rock ducked back into his bedroom, picking up a tie. "It's the hottest scoop, and they all want to make deadline. They're like vultures." He followed his sister up front, looping the tie around his neck and fitting it under the collar of his shirt. "Now, this thing goes… " He fumbled with it for a few moments. "And then like… Oh geeze. I'll never get it at this rate, if I only have to wear it once a year."

Roll smiled, laughing softly and taking the tie from her brother's hands, undoing it and starting over again. "Silly Rock. You just need more practice, that's all." She deftly tied it into a neat knot, sliding it underneath Rock's neck. She looked him over, tugging his jacket straight and fussing with the collar. "You look handsome."

Rock smiled, turning a circle to show off his suit. "Thanks sis. Too bad I don't get to wear this more often, huh?" Rock picked up his datapad and started to reread his notes. "Are you coming?"

Roll shook her head. "I'm going to watch it on the vidcast, if that's all right. I don't like being around all those people like that…"

Rock nodded and hugged his sister. "I understand. It can be overwhelming at times." He grinned. "But maybe you just need more practice, eh?"

"Oh get out of here you," She slapped him playfully on the arm. "I'll see you when you get back."

Rock walked to the door, shouting out, "C'mon, Auto! We don't wanna be late!"

"Oh, he's in the garage, actually. Working on the car again." Roll pointed her thumb behind her towards the back of the lab. "He promised he'd be ready when it was time to leave."

Rock signed and rolled his eyes. "This had better not be like the last time. He had all the engine parts spead over the floor."

Roll giggled. "I remember. One of the bearings rolled off and we spent two days looking for it."

"The general will install me a new one if I don't get there on time, though." Rock stomped off through the lab. He subconsciously stepped over a startled Eddie, rereading his notes for the conference.

"Hey hey! Careful careful!" Eddie waddled to the side of the hallway.

Rock called back over his shoulder, "Sorry! I'm running a tad late."

Rock turned the corner and bumped into Rush, sitting in the middle of the hallway with a stick in his mouth. "Sorry boy, I don't have time to play right now."

Rush looked up at Rock hopefully, his tail wagging.

Rock patted his head. "When I get back, maybe." He started to walk around the dog.

Rush got up and moved in Rock's way, moving back and forth as Rock tried to circumvent him.

Rock signed. "Okay. One throw. And you'd better not knock over any furniture this time." He held out his hand for the stick, which Rush deposited in his hand. He turned around, targeting reticules and vectors appearing in his field of vision as he calculated a throwing path, would his arm back, and gave it a mighty throw, the stick careening off the walls down the hallway and around a corner. Rush barked and gave chase, running down the hallway. Rock resumed walking to his destination, anxiously checking his watch. _He'd better have that car ready or I'm going to have a page fault._ He walked into the garage, and came upon Auto idly polishing the hood of the hovercar.

Rock breathed a sigh of relief. "I was worried you wouldn't have the car ready on time."

Auto gave Rock a thumbs up and tossed the rag onto a workbench. "I was just polishing 'er up, Boss! If we hit the road now we'll get there in plenty of time." He lifted himself into the driver's seat and started the motor.

Rock took his seat on the passenger side, buckling the restraints. "Thanks, Auto. I really appreciate it. The General does not want to be kept waiting for this."

The hovercar lifted and sped into motion, gliding effortlessly along the long winding driveway leading away from the lab, before lifting higher and ascending into the sky. Rock reclined his seat and watched the clouds passing by overhead. "So what do you want to do when all this is over?"

Auto thought on the question, "Open an auto shop. It drives me crazy when there's nothing to fix."

Rock grinned. "Half the stuff needs fixing because you took it apart to begin with."

Auto laughed, turning the car to avoid a flock of birds. "But I'm not bored anymore, so it all works out."

"I guess so…" Rock stared thoughtfully at the sky.

"What're you gonna do, Boss?"

"I don't really know." Rock shook his head and sighed. "I'll have to find something, I suppose. But there's enough time for that later."

Auto checked the on-board console. "We'll be arriving in several minutes. Ready for your news conference?"

The datapad beeped as Rock pushed the OFF key. "As ready as I'll ever be, I suppose."

Auto dropped the hovercar vertically into a designated landing space, then steered the craft into the marked VIP parking area. He shut the systems off and announced, "We're here, Boss."

Rock nodded, taking a deep breath. "Thanks, Auto. I'll be back n a while. And whatever you do, don't answer the media. Just pretend you're shut down or something, okay?"

"Sure thing, Boss. Sorry about that whole chunky salsa incident last time."

"Don't worry about it. I'll talk to you later."

Rock strode briskly from the car, adjusting the knot of his tie one last time before he turned around the corner of he building. He heard one reporter shout, and immediately they were all upon him, presenting him with microphones and clamoring for statements.

"What was the condition of the base where you found Wily?" "-true that Wily was poisoned by-" "-nuclear threat still a possibility?" "What are your thoughts about-" "Can I interest you in an interview before-" "-will you do now that-"

Rock gently pushed the microphones aside, smiling disarmingly at the crowd. "Please, please. I have no comments at this time. You'll find out everything you need to know once we start the press conference."

"This is the biggest scoop in 14 years! Surely you can give us some tidbits!"

Rock chuckled. "You've waited 14 years. Surely you can wait 14 more minutes."

"Please Mr. Rock, can you—"

Rock started to push his way through the crowd. "You'll get your deadline, I promise. But for now you'll have to wait. Now if you'll excuse me, I'll see you inside when it's time."

He finally made his way to the steps of the conference hall, flashing his ID to the guard who waved him in with a small nod. "The general's waiting for you, Mr. Rock."

Rock stopped just inside the door and collected his thoughts for a brief moment. I remember the first time I did this… They nearly overwhelmed me. He smiled to himself and walked across the empty lobby. All it takes is a bit of self-confidence and a steady hand. And a lot of experience…

Rock opened the conference room door, striding down the empty aisles. He looked ahead to the podium, where the general stood conferring with an aide. "General."

The General looked up, nodded, and uttered a few quick words to the aide, who rushed off. "Rock Light. Glad you could make it on time."

Rock cringed inwardly, but nodded lightly towards the general. "Last time was a one-time occurrence, I assure you."

"Hm. We'll see." LaStran made a few notations on his datapad. "We've got our experts answering most everything else. Your report will be last, and you'll be answering any residual questions as well as anything regarding the site where Wily was found. Also, we are not informing the general public that Wily was deliberately poisoned. As far as they are concerned, it was environmental. We don't need the public to worry about some psychotic capable of disarming Wily roaming around in the world."

Rock frowned slightly, then nodded. "Understood."

"I've read your report on the disk you recovered. Everything is suitable for release to the public. And, let's see," LaStran browsed through some notes on his datapad. "That leaves… Hm. Wily's burial arrangements. Are you sure about this?"

Rock nodded. "Yes Sir, I am. It was in Light's last will and testament. I have a copy with me, for anyone who wishes to see it."

LaStran waved his hand dismissively. "Yes, yes. I'm sure it's fine. Just don't blame me for the backlash. You're dismissed now."

Rock nodded crisply, turning away and heading back out to the lobby. _I hate taking orders from that guy… Well, now that Wily's passed on, I won't have to deal with him for much longer. Just a little more patience…  
_

* * *

Rock stifled a yawn, only mildly paying attention to the endless reports and questions. _These sessions are always so droll. At least I'm up next._ The current speaker gave his closing remarks and then returned to his seat, prompting Rock to stand up and walk over to the podium. "Good evening ladies and gentlemen. The events of that day have already been thoroughly covered, so I'll dispense with my review, though I will still take questions." He held up a hand to stop the forthcoming questions. "However, I do have an announcement to make first." He cleared his throat and tapped a few buttons on his datapad. "Part of Dr Light's last wishes was for Wily to receive a proper burial and ceremony upon his death. Now that Wily has passed away and the investigation is over, I will be carrying out those wishes. The ceremony will private. I will be sending out invitations shortly. I will open the floor for questions now. Yes, in the front row." He gestured to a reporter.

The reporter stood up. "Nick Motely, World News Network. I think the first question on everyone's mind is, 'Why?'"

Rock smiled slightly. "Dr. Light felt it important to remember that before Wily turned to the wrong path, he used to be a good scientist, and a great friend. He felt it only proper to honor his memory, for both the good and the bad. Next question. You there."

Another reporter stood up, "Vanessa Renelin. National News Association. Are you concerned about the public reaction to this news?"

Rock shook his head. "I trust that the public will understand this, and accept it. But to address that concern, I am working with some producers to create a series of shows and exhibits to demonstrate the positive influence Albert Wily had in this world. Foremost, he was one of the leaders in the field of robotics that revolutionized the world. Without his influence, even I would not be standing here before you today. Anymore questions?"

"Thomas Miles, with the Scientific Journal. What will you do now that the Wily wars are over?"

"Well, I'll probably be the world's first 11 year-old to retire after a successful career." Rock paused to enjoy a chuckle from the crowd. "Seriously, though. There's still more work to be done. There are many of Wily's Robot Masters unaccounted for, and hopefully, with the data I recovered from Wily's hideout, they can be reprogrammed for more constructive means. At the very least, we'll be able to incapacitate and destroy them that much more easily now."

Thomas remained standing. "Then, after all of that is over, what do you see yourself doing?"

Rock fell silent for a moment. "I haven't decided that. But why worry about that now? I'll have plenty to fill my plate until then. Anymore questions?" Rock looked over the silent crowd and then stepped back, walking to his seat as LaStran took the podium again. "Thank you ladies and gentlemen for coming. If you have any more questions, you can contact my office. Good afternoon."

The reporters started to mill out, the dull of roar of conversation slowly rising as the other experts made their way into the crowds. Rock quietly stood and made his way to a side exit, taking the back hallways to a rear exit of the building. Letting out a relieved sigh as he stepped back into the sunshine, he loosened his tie and looked around. Leaning against Auto's hovercraft talking to the robot was a brown-haired man dressed casually in jeans and a t-shirt. Rock grinned as he walked over. "Bobby! Hey man."

Bobby looked over and smiled, walking to meet Rock. They exchanged hi-fives and shook hands, "Rock, man. Nice uni. Guess they're really formal about that whole dress code thing."

Rock laughed. "Yeah, well. With LaStran it's all about appearances, you know? Did you come to do a report?"

Bobby held up his datapad. "Yeah, got everything I need right here. But I was wondering about something else. You're gonna want a reporter at the funeral, ain'tcha? To report to the world the last memoirs of a twisted but brilliant scientist?"

Rock clasped his friend on the shoulder as he pulled the tie off. "Relax, man. I already put your name on the guest list. My lawyer will get a hold of you in a few days to work out the details. Cool?"

"Hey cool man, I owe ya one." Bobby turned on his datapad to make a few notations in it.

"No worries. We're buds, right? Sides, we'll all end up square in the end."

Bobby grinned and bumped fists with Rock. "Absolutely. But hey, I gotta run. Catch ya later."

Rock waved, "Later." He got in the hovercar. "C'mon Auto. Let's go home."

* * *

_Well, I did it. Now all that's left is to finish the funeral arrangements and to await the public reaction. I hope for the best, but I know that it won't be that good. People will only want to remember Wily as a tyrannical mad despot who tried to conquer the world. I wish I could remember him differently, but Dad was able to tell me about him. I've even seen the contributions his research made to my own construction. The design ideas were revolutionary for the time. Now they seem almost… commonplace. It's weird that his inventions are accepted so widely now. I think most people just contribute it to Dad's work, but… What would they say if they knew the foundation for it all came from Wily's work? They'd probably be so confused they wouldn't know what to think._

_Maybe that would change things enough… Well, there's still a lot left to do. I'll have to write more later._


	4. Chapter 3

Disclaimer: I don't own Rockman; this fic is only for entertainment purposes, etc, etc.

* * *

The Adventures of Rock Light - Chapter Three 

It was a small crowd that gathered around the coffin that day; everyone was equally somber and quiet. The sky was gray and overcast, threatening to rain as if nature itself was voicing its opinion. A chilly wind made everyone draw their coats tighter, even the robotic siblings huddled their arms close to their chests.

Rock glanced around at those assembled. The rest of the Light household was there, of course. Himself, his sister, Auto, Eddy, Rush, and Tango were all lined up on one side of the coffin. He and his sister were both dressed in formal black, something Auto had chosen to imitate by painting his chassis black for the occasion.

Rock stood beside the head of the coffin, his family alongside him. He continued looking around. On the other side stood his friend, Bobby. _That's the only suit I've ever seen him wear. Looks good on him. He seems a little uncomfortable though. He's the best person to report this story. I guess in a way, Dr. Wily and I are both responsible for his career. He just happened to be in the right spot at the right time when Wily made his first attack, and when I showed up, he got an exclusive. ... Of course then the press completely butchered my identity and my story, but he was the only one who got them both right._

Standing next to Bobby stood Rick. _I know he's only here because he feels he still has an obligation to Dr. Light, but I'm glad he's here all the same. Dad did a lot for him, helping jumpstart his business when one of Wily's first attacks destroyed it. He's done more than enough for us, but he still thinks he 'owes' us. Our contract with him in the new developments that the Light Foundation built since its inception has been almost exclusive on our part, and the media popularity of the Light Foundation did wonders for his sales._

The next guest was Dr. Cossack. He was by himself. _I invited the entire Cossack household, but I can't blame any of the others for not showing up. Kalinka and the robots still feel too much resentment at Wily for using them in his scheme to take over the world. However, Dr. Cossack is a scientist, and understands the importance of Wily's early work. I hope his family understands his decision._

The last attendee was a man wearing a long overcoat, with a matching navy blue fedora. His grizzled grey beard made him appear older than he actually was. _No doubt the stress caused by acting as the Light Foundation's leading lawyer for so many years... Nolan Eviston has been the reason the Light Foundation is so successful, helping out both in its inception and still today. We also owe him for successfully clearing dad of all charges due to his connections with Wily when he turned traitor... He's been at the lab so much he's almost like a member of our family now._

"We are gathered here today," the minister began. He paused as the faint, haunting melody of a flute drifted in on the wind. The rest of those gathered looked around, perplexed, but Rock and Roll shared a knowing smile.

After a moment the minister cleared his throat and began again. "We are gathered here today, to mourn the passing of Doctor Albert Wily. For many of the last years of his life, he was intent on ruling the world. However, before that, he was an ingenious inventor, and someone Doctor Thomas Light called friend. It is that man that we honor here today.

"Doctor Wily and Doctor Light had been close friends since college, and both shared a common dream. To build a fully function, autonomous humanoid robot. Doctor Light's contribution was his advanced artificial intelligence designs. Doctor Wily's contribution was his revolutionary new designs in machine hardware that enabled highly accurate replications of detailed human functions and senses. Many of his inventions are considered the standard now, and are employed world-wide. They have enriched many lives, not only in the robots that perform our dangerous work, but in the prosthetics formed from his technology that have restored so many people's quality of life.

"This man worked so hard in his time for the betterment of others. It is my hope that his accomplishments will be remembered, and that for those, his soul will find rest." Everyone fell silent for a few long moments. "Now, before we proceed, does anyone have anything they'd like to say?"

All eyes turned expectantly to Rock, who cleared his throat and stepped forward. "Although it is not commonly spoken of, Wily's intention in trying to control the world was to unify it. He sought to correct many of the flaws he saw in society and our governments. The truth was that he succeeded, by unifying the world against him. For that, I believe he also deserves to be recognized in some fashion.

"In my last meeting with him, he seemed... Regretful of the decisions he had made. He gave me the means by which I could undo some of the damage he had caused, as some form of atonement. Because of that, I believe that he and my father will see each other again someday. Friends again, as it should have been for all these years."

Rock stepped back, and Roll reached over to squeeze his hand in encouragement. Rock returned her smile, and then turned his attention to the minister.

"If nobody else wishes to speak, we will now commit the body of Albert Wily to the ground for his final rest."

Rock, Auto, Doctor Cossack, and Nolan all stepped forward, each grabbing a handle on the coffin. Lifting together, they carried the coffin over the grave and set it onto the waiting hover-cart. With a single button push, the cart sank deep into the ground, and then permanently shut off.

"We pray for the safety of Albert Wily's soul, whatever path it may lead. This concludes the service."

Rock turned to offer the minister a hand. "Thank you. This really means a lot to me. Nobody else I called was willing to..."

The minister just smiled and held up a hand to gently silence the robot, and then shook his hand firmly. "It is not my place to judge. That duty belongs to someone upstairs, hm?" He clasped Rock on the shoulder. "Have faith. Albert has a great advocate to speak for him."

Rock let out a pensive sigh and smiled. "Yes, he does. The best one I know."

The minister gave Rock a reassuring pat on the shoulder. "If you'll excuse me, I should get going before the rain catches up to me."

"You don't have to go. We're having a small gathering at the house, and you're more than welcome to join us."

"Oh my, no thank you. I appreciate the offer, but I have other things that need tending to."

"Take care then." Rock turned to the other guests. "We have a small dinner planned at the house. Please come and make yourselves comfortable. I'll be up shortly."

The gathered all turned and made their way to the walkway that would lead up the hill to the Light compound; Roll stayed behind.

"You're not planning on replacing the dirt now, are you?"

Rock shook his head. "No... I just wanted a moment to think."

Roll reached up to give her bother a tight hug. "Okay, but don't be too long. It's cold out here."

Smiling, Rock nodded. "I promise." He watched his sister walk away, hastening to catch up with the rest of their guests. He turned to look t the still open plot and walked over, kneeling down beside the tombstone to gaze at it. He patted the tombstone and stood up, turning around to look at his father's grave.

_Father, there's not a day that goes by when I don't think of you... And I always try to do what would make you proud of me. I always try to follow the examples you set for me, to show others so to help make the world a better place. Your friend is interred next to your plot, just as you wanted it. I understand what he meant to you, even after all that fighting. It broke your heart, and I know in the end, that's why you died._

_I... I'm ashamed to admit it, but I hated him then, when you died. I hated him for what he did to you, the way he betrayed your trust. It was an uncomfortable feeling, like my veins were going to burst out of my head or something. All this emotion just pent up with nowhere to go..._

_I still haven't repaired that wall. I keep the crack I made there to remind me not to give into the anger again. It was hard, but finally I came to terms with what he had done, by remembering what you told me. Without your memories and recollections... I hate to think what I could have done to him, if I had still hated him the last time I saw him._

_Thank you, Dad. Even now I'm still learning from you._

_I love you, and I miss you._

* * *

_Doctor Albert Wily_

_1935 - 2017_

___A dear friend we lost, but found again_

* * *


End file.
